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From Just $3/sq ft
17+ Years of Local Expertise
Certified Pet- & Family-Safe Finishes
Moisture Checks Done
500+ Floors Completed
Big Bro Hardwood is an employee-owned hardwood flooring company serving Wheaton and the surrounding suburbs. We install, sand, stain, refinish, and repair solid and engineered wood floors, starting around $3 a square foot. In 17+ years we have completed 500+ floors across the area – restoring original red oak strip floors in mid-century ranches and split-levels, refreshing hardwood in two-story colonials, and fitting engineered systems in rooms where a concrete slab rules out solid wood. Wheaton’s large share of pre-1978 homes means we also follow EPA Lead RRP protocols whenever older finishes are involved.
The same small crew stays with your project from the first measurement to the last coat – no rotating subcontractors. Every estimate is itemized line by line, sanding is vacuum-assisted so dust stays out of your home, and we finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. Call us and we will have a free estimate to you within 24 hours.
Premium Results From $3/sq ft
Great hardwood floors in Wheaton don’t have to mean an outsized budget. Our refinishing work starts at just $3, and installation pricing is built to fit real homes, not showroom budgets. Want a quick sense of what your project might run before we even visit? Use our hardwood floor cost calculator to get a ballpark in minutes.
Free In-Home Estimate Within 24 Hours
We come to your home, walk the rooms, check what’s actually under your feet, and talk through what you want to accomplish. Then we put together a free, itemized estimate – usually within 24 hours. That way your quote reflects the real condition of your floors, not a generic number pulled from a website average.
Complex Projects Planned, Not Improvised
Wheaton’s mix of mid-century ranches, split-levels, and older homes near downtown means we regularly work through varied subfloor conditions, concrete slabs in lower levels, original oak strip floors, room-to-room transitions, and pre-1978 lead-paint considerations. We map out materials, sequence, and prep details before a single board moves – so the work goes smoothly once it starts.
Finish Options Matched to Daily Use
Choosing a finish isn’t just about sheen level. We look at your wood species, how much foot traffic the space sees, whether kids or pets are part of the picture, and how quickly you need the rooms back. From there we recommend a Bona or Loba system that fits your life, and we walk you through drying times, cure windows, and how to care for the floor once it’s done.
GREENGUARD-Certified, Pet-Safe Finishes
Every finish we apply is low-VOC and GREENGUARD-certified. Our Bona and Loba products are safe for families and pets once fully cured, whether we’re working on solid hardwood or engineered wood. You don’t have to choose between a beautiful result and a finish you feel good about bringing into your home.
Floor Condition and Moisture Come First
In a climate like Wheaton’s – with real humidity swings between summer and winter – what’s happening beneath the surface matters as much as the finish on top. We check subfloor flatness, moisture levels, and existing damage before we commit to any installation or refinishing plan. That groundwork is what keeps boards from cupping, gapping, or coming loose down the road.
From mid-century ranches in Arrowhead to colonials near downtown, we handle every hardwood flooring need Wheaton homeowners run into.
We’re a hardwood floor company based in the Wheaton area, with 17+ years of hands-on experience in hardwood floor installation, floor refinishing, staining, and repair services. Our team is small, focused, and takes pride in doing every job right, from the first measurement to the final product.
We’ve completed 500+ Wheaton-area projects across the city and the Chicagoland area, and we work closely with every client to make sure the results match their flooring needs — no shortcuts, no guesswork. Big Bro Hardwood wood flooring contractors adhere to the industry’s National Wood Flooring Association Technical Guidelines.
Our wood flooring company believes in clear communication, the best materials, and clean, quality work. More than 80% of our new clients come from satisfied customers who recommend us to family, friends, and neighbors — and we’re genuinely proud to earn that kind of trust.
17+ years
Of experience
500+
Hardwood floor projects completed
30+
Suburbs served
1 crew
No subcontractors - the owner is on every hardwood job
Donatas
Owner
Valdas
Team member
Slavek
Team member
Wheaton's mix of mid-century ranches, older colonials, and newer subdivision homes each present different subfloor conditions and climate challenges, so we adjust our approach before we ever open a box of flooring.
1
Mid-Century Ranches and Split-Levels
A lot of Wheaton’s 1950s-1970s ranches and split-levels still have their original red oak strip floors hiding under carpet. Once we pull it back and check the boards and subfloor, we can usually sand and refinish what’s there rather than replace it. These homes often mix hardwood zones with areas on concrete slab, so we assess each section separately and use glued-down or floating engineered wood where solid isn’t the right fit.
2
Pre-1978 Homes and Lead-Safe Work
Because a large share of Wheaton’s housing stock was built before 1978, we follow EPA Lead RRP protocols on older projects, using proper containment, HEPA equipment, and verification before we leave. This applies to trim, stair finishes, and old floor coatings, not just paint.
3
Additions, Rehabs, and Blended Floors
When a Wheaton home has had a room addition or kitchen remodel, the new subfloor and the old one rarely match up perfectly. We check flatness and moisture in both sections, then select a species and stain that ties the original floor to the new area so the transition looks intentional.
4
Newer Subdivision Homes
Homes in areas like Danada and Arrowhead from the 1990s and 2000s typically have OSB subfloors over joisted framing. We verify flatness and moisture readings before installation, and wide-plank engineered hardwood in a prefinished option is often a smart choice here for both stability and a cleaner finish timeline.
5
Wheaton's Winters and Humidity Swings
Cold, dry winters and humid summers put real stress on hardwood. We acclimate every board on site before installation and recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round to prevent gapping, cupping, and squeaks. We walk every Wheaton client through what that looks like in practice before we start.
In many Wheaton homes the original wood is worth saving rather than replacing, but the only way to know for certain is to get a close look at the subfloor and the boards themselves.
1
Call or send the form, tell us about your floors, and we’ll set a time to come look.
2
We measure, check the wood and subfloor, talk through color and options, and leave you an itemized estimate.
3
Our crew handles prep, sanding, install, stain, and finish on a dust-controlled setup, cleaning up daily.
4
We do a final walkthrough, go over care and timing, and stand behind the work.
A Wheaton homeowner reached out about the original hardwood floors in their mid-century ranch - boards that had taken decades of foot traffic and were worn, scratched, and completely dull. No replacement needed. We sanded them back to bare wood, repaired the damage, and refinished them from scratch. Same floors, whole new life. Take a look at the before and after photos below and judge the results for yourself.
Get a free in-home estimate within 24 hours. No pressure, no hidden costs — just honest advice and expert results, and no cutting corners.
A recent Wheaton project: old flooring removed and replaced with new 5-inch red oak, then stained with Bona Early American and finished with Loba 2K Duo across 1,350 sq ft. See the wood, the color, and the full transformation.
Here we will tell you about a project we recently completed in Wheaton, Illinois.
Learn moreGet a realistic budget range in about a minute for refinishing, new installation, replacing carpet with hardwood, or stairs. It’s a starting point, not a firm quote, and we confirm the exact figure with a free in-home estimate.
Choose what you'd like an estimate for
Not sure which one? Learn about wood types →
* This estimate is for budgeting purposes only. Actual pricing may vary based on site conditions, moisture levels, subfloor state, and access. A final quote requires an on-site inspection.
Not sure which one? Learn about wood types →
Red Oak $3–$7 / sq ft
White Oak $4–$10 / sq ft
Maple (clear coat) $4–$9 / sq ft
Maple (stained) $4–$9 / sq ft
Cherry $5–$12 / sq ft
Walnut $7–$15 / sq ft
Hickory $4–$10 / sq ft
Exotic / Other $8–$20 / sq ft
No removal needed
Remove carpet +$0.70–$1.60 / sq ft
Remove vinyl / linoleum +$1.00–$2.50 / sq ft
Remove tile +$1.50–$3.50 / sq ft
Subfloor leveling / repairs+$1.00–$3.00 / sq ft
Moisture barrier / underlayment+$0.70–$1.50 / sq ft
* This estimate is for budgeting purposes only. Actual pricing may vary based on site conditions, moisture levels, subfloor state, and access. A final quote requires an on-site inspection.
Not sure which one? Learn about wood types →
Red Oak $3–$7 / sq ft
White Oak $4–$10 / sq ft
Maple (clear coat) $4–$9 / sq ft
Maple (stained) $4–$9 / sq ft
Cherry $5–$12 / sq ft
Walnut $7–$15 / sq ft
Hickory $4–$10 / sq ft
Exotic / Other $8–$20 / sq ft
Subfloor leveling / repairs+$1.00–$3.00 / sq ft
Moisture barrier / underlayment+$0.70–$1.50 / sq ft
* This estimate is for budgeting purposes only. Actual pricing may vary based on site conditions, moisture levels, subfloor state, and access. A final quote requires an on-site inspection.
Donatas July 21, 2026
Donatas May 21, 2026
Donatas April 28, 2026
Usually, yes. Mid-century ranches and split-levels across Wheaton were built with solid red oak strip floors, and they can typically be sanded and refinished multiple times. We check the wood thickness and condition at your free in-home estimate. If the boards are structurally sound with no major cupping or rot, refinishing almost always costs less than replacement and keeps the character of the original floor intact.
We do. A large share of Wheaton’s housing stock predates 1978, so lead-based paint on trim, stairs, and old floor finishes is a real possibility. We follow EPA Lead RRP protocols on those projects, which means proper containment, HEPA-filtered equipment, and verification before we leave. We will let you know at the estimate stage whether your home falls into that category so there are no surprises.
It really does. Solid hardwood expands and contracts with humidity swings, and Wheaton’s cold winters can drop indoor humidity well below the safe range. We recommend keeping your home between 30-50% relative humidity year-round. We also acclimate new wood on-site before installation so it adjusts to your home’s conditions first. A whole-home humidifier in winter goes a long way toward protecting your investment long-term.
Yes, and this is a common setup in Wheaton. Rooms over a basement or crawlspace can take nail-down solid hardwood. Slab areas need a glued-down or floating engineered wood system. We check subfloor flatness and moisture levels in both zones before we start, and we can use compatible species and stains so the transition between areas looks intentional rather than mismatched.
Refinishing starts at $3 per square foot, and the final number depends on floor condition, square footage, and whether you want staining. For a quick ballpark before we visit, try our cost calculator. We also offer flat-rate pricing for homes under 1,200 square feet. Every estimate is free, itemized line by line, and scheduled within 24 hours of your call, so you always know exactly what you are paying for.
A typical refinishing project in a Wheaton home runs two to four days depending on square footage and the number of coats. You do not have to leave entirely, but we suggest staying off freshly coated floors until they are ready to walk on, usually 24 hours per coat. We give you a clear daily schedule at the start so you can plan around it without guessing.
Yes. We use Bona and Loba waterborne finishes, which are low-VOC and kid- and pet-safe once fully cured. There is an odor during application, so ventilating the space and keeping pets out during that window is smart. Once cured, these finishes are durable and hold up well to everyday pet traffic. We are happy to walk you through which finish sheen and hardness level makes the most sense for your household.
We stand behind every project with a workmanship warranty and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If something is wrong with the craftsmanship, we come back and fix it, period. For urgent situations, we offer emergency repairs within 48 hours. We have built most of our Wheaton business through referrals, so doing right by every client is not just a policy for us, it is how we have worked since 2008.
Tell us what you need — we’ll help you figure out the best way to get it done.
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